Monthly Archives: May 2014

Video about Newburyport’s Urban Renewal, “A Measure of Change”

Many thanks to Jerry Mullins over at Brick and Tree for putting this incredible video about what Newburyport used to look like up again, this time on YouTube.

Newburyport used to look like a slum. Hard to believe, but the history on this video is amazing.

And there are a lot of friends on the video. Sue Little, the owner of Jabberwocky Books, opens the video. Tom Kolterjahn, the president of The Newburyport Preservation Trust is on there, along with Bryon Matthews, John (Hacky) Pramberg, Bill Harris, Jack Bradshaw.

Enjoy!

A Measure of Change, the video about Newburyport’s Urban Renewal

The link to the video “A Measure of Change” can be found here.”

Newburyport Preservation Week

Newburyport Preservation Week, photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

The Newburyport Preservation Trust is sponsoring Newburyport Preservation Week this week!! Starting Wednesday May 14th and ending Saturday May 18th.

Newburyport celebrates and commemorates historic preservation during the eight annual Newburyport Preservation Week, May 14th through 18th, 2014. This year’s theme recognizes the celebration of 250 years since the Port separated from Newbury and became its own town. Five days of activities for all ages and interests will include walking tours, lectures and the annual Historic Preservation Awards scheduled as the last event of the week. Events are open to the public and many are free. For more information and reservations, visit www.nbptpreservationtrust.org.

Schedule of Events:

Vanishing Treasures – Preservation Challenges
May 13-18
Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water Street, Newburyport
A week long display of Newburyport’s Vanishing Treasures
Five architectural styles traced through Newburyport’s history
Survey map showing Newburyport changes over the last 50 years

Wednesday, May 14th

Fundraiser
Oregano Pizzeria, 16 Pleasant Street, Newburyport
11:30 am until closing
The Newburyport Preservation Trust is proud to announce a fundraising event at Oregano Pizzeria and Restaurant. From lunch and through dinner to closing, Oregano’s will donate a portion of their proceeds to the Trust. To participate, please tell your server you are a friend or member of the Preservation Trust.

Thursday, May 15th

Separation Anxiety – 1764
An Interactive Debate
7:00 pm. Reception follows.
Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water Street, Newburyport
Join the Theater in the Open for a spirited historical debate that will decide the fate of Newbury.
Donation: $10

Friday, May 16th

Lecture
“What Style is my house and Why Should I Care?”
7:00 pm. Reception follows.
Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water Street, Newburyport
Learn the different house styles and why understanding them matters
Donation: $10

Saturday, May 17th

Fireplace Tour
8:30 am – 11:00 am
6 Independent Street, Newburyport
Richard Irons, noted master restoration mason, will lecture on the evolution of fire places, hearth cooking and the preservation of fireplaces. The tour includes an “Early Georgian” home at 6 Independent Street, a “Federal” style at 4 Fruit Street and a “Greek Revival” at 21 Monroe St.
Admission: $30. Limited reservations are required (www.nbptpreservationtrust.org) for a total of 20 people on the tour or call 978-358-7880

Tour
“A Woman, a Dream and a Library”10:00 am – 12:00 noon. Tours repeat every 15 minutes.
Emma L. Andrews Library, 77 Purchase Street, Newburyport
The 15 minute living history tour will highlight the quaint Joppa library, established in 1900, and its efforts to remain open to families throughout Newburyport.
Admission: Free

Tour
Powder House Park and Learning Center
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
1:30 & 2:30 pm musket firing demonstration
Godfrey’s Hill, 57 Low Street, Newburyport
Newly restored and reopened as a Park and Learning Center, the Powder House will offer tours and a Civil War musket firing demonstrations at 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm by William & Elizabeth Hallett, Civil War living history re enactors.
Admission: Free

Tour
“Old South Church History Tour”
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
29 Federal Street, Newburyport
Enjoy a guided tour of the Old South Church and learn about the Great Awakening, which helped lay the foundation for America’s desire for liberty. Visit the crypt below the sanctuary, containing the remains of Reverend George Whitefield, considered one of the founding fathers of America.
Donation: $5 toward restoration is requested.

Walking Tour
Clipper Heritage Trail
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Meet at the center of Market Square, Newburyport
Explore the past lives of Newburyport’s vibrant downtown with local historian Ghlee Woodworth.
Admission: Free

Lecture
“High on High”
An exquisite High Street home restored
7:00 pm Reception follows
Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water Street, Newburyport
Outstanding restoration of a High Street Federal period house showing painstaking attention to detail while preserving historic fabric.
Donation: $10

Sunday, Mary 18th

Tour
“Old South Church History Tour”
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
29 Federal Street, Newburyport
Enjoy a guided tour of the Old South Church and visit the crypt below the sanctuary, containing the remains of Reverend George Whitefield, considered one of the founding fathers of America.
Admission: Free

Tour

“St. Anna’s Chapel: A Historic Restoration in Progress”
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
166 High Street, Newburyport
A tour and discussion of the history and restoration of this Civil War era chapel is located in the churchyard of St. Paul’s Church. The chapel contains some of the oldest stained glass in New England as well as original lighting fixtures. Meet at the front steps of the chapel for the tour.
Donation: $5 toward restoration is requested.

2014 Preservation Awards
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water Street, Newburyport
Beginning in 2007, the Newburyport Preservation Trust has celebrated preservation efforts throughout our city by awarding individuals and organizations annuals for their contributions toward historic preservation. Come and celebrate wonderful examples of preservation throughout Newburyport and see who earns well deserved recognition this year.
Admission: Free

Lecture
“Reading the Clues”
5:00 pm. Reception follows.
Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water Street, Newburyport
Sally Zimmerman, Historic New England, will lecture on how all old houses go through changes over time but leave clues to those changes behind. Learn how to read some of the clues in the documentary record and physical fabric of old houses.

Plum Island Shipwreck from tjhe exhibition of Plum Island Shipwrecks from 1772-1936

A Plum Island shipwreck from the exhibition of Plum Island Shipwrecks from 1772-1936 at the Custom House Maritime Museum

Preservation Week offers insight and first-hand access to the rich historic events and architecture that create Newburyport’s character and charm. Anyone who enjoys living in or visiting Newburyport, as well as history enthusiasts and historic homeowners, will find activities that the whole family will enjoy while gaining a greater appreciation for the treasures in this unique and historic community.

A Plum Island shipwreck from the exhibition of Plum Island Shipwrecks from 1772-1936 at the Custom House Maritime Museum

The Newburyport Preservation Trust, an all-volunteer 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, was formed to raise public awareness and to advocate for local historic preservation. Newburyport Preservation Week is presented in partnership with Historic New England and the Custom House Maritime Museum.

And the video about Newburyport’s Urban Renewal, A Measure of Change is now available (again!!) this time on YouTube (thank you Jerry Mullins!).

A Measure of Change

New Rules, Bricks on Curbs to be Replaced by Cement in Newburyport

Example of new white curb cut next to a brick sidewalk.

This is what I now know (please see legal disclaimer–I am an amateur blogger, not a legal expert, or highway engineer, or any of the other things one might want to be, to fully comprehend this, and yes, there are still a lot more questions).

In March of 2012 MassDOT mandated the following changes for ADA curb cuts (those are the cuts on sidewalk corners):

1) To have a “Detectable or tactile warning strip, consisting of truncated domes.” (i.e. bumpy things)

2) And the change is also in material, the requirement is that it be “slip resistant” which according to the description, eliminates brick:

“7. Walk surfaces shall be designed and constructed as firm, stable and slip resistant surfaces. They shall lie generally in a continuous plane with a minimum of surface warping.”

The document can be read here:

What this means in real simple terms, is that legally cement is now in, and brick is out.

I have confirmed this with a very, very nice person at MassDOT, as well as folks who know this stuff in Newburyport City Hall.

And this applies to historic cities and towns all over Massachusetts, including Boston. And from what I can make out (every place that I have checked), with the exception of Beacon Hill, has eventually given in and gone with cement over brick (with much wailing and gnashing of teeth) (again, I am an amateur blogger, not a professional journalist–disclaimer one more time).

On Monday night, at the Newburyport City Council Meeting, the list of streets and sidewalks to be repaved is on the agenda to be Ok’d by the City Council. My hope is that at least one member of the City Council will get up and say, “Wait a minute, could we Ok all the money for roadwork and sidewalks, but could we take a little bit of time to find out some answers to the curb cut–no more brick thing, before we give the big go ahead on that one.”

My hope is that if brick is out and cement is in, that maybe we could mitigate the visual impact in some way. And I’m just throwing ideas out there, there is such a thing as stamped cement, that looks like brick. I have no idea if that would work, but something along those sort of lines would be better than glaring white strips of cement that would eventually replace the brick corners that now exist.

Here is a list of corners that are slated to be redone this year, where brick would be an issue:

Along High Street:
State Street
Market Street
Federal Street
Lime Street
Parsons Street
Coffins Court
Allen Street
Bromfield Street
Barton Street

And:
State Street and Garden Street (Where the Dalton Club is.)

An an example of a good looking curb cut with brick that now exists. (The arrows pointing to the good example are photoshopped by me.)

EDITOR’S NOTE: A REPRIEVE!! Newburyport City Councilor Bob Cronin has just gotten up at the Newburyport City Council meeting and asked that the curb cuts that had been designated to be turned from brick to cement along High Street be sent to committee for further discussion. As I understand it, the matter was sent to “Public Safety.” (P.S. I wasn’t sure whether or not the now brick curb cut by the Dalton Club, at the corner of State and Garden was also included in that list.) Thank you so much Newburyport City Council!!